Bedding /nesting box

[MrsCluckadoodledo]

What does everyone use for bedding and favorite bedding for the nesting boxes?

 

[DobieLover]

What you use will be determined by availability and trial and error for what works best for you, your flock and your setup.

I prefer large flake pine shavings or hemp for coop bedding and I keep it about 4-5" thick to cushion landings. I have to rake it off the edges and pile it back into the center because the girls like to scratch around in the bedding looking for raisins that got missed during dole out.

I like straw flakes wedged in the nest boxes. Yes, I have to scoop a handful out if someone breaks an egg. It's not a big deal to scoop out the mess, wipe down the box and place more straw. It appears that my girls prefer the straw as they make nice bowl nests from it. One little PITA bantam loves to scratch around in the boxes for who knows what reason and kick the straw out. I have to fix those nests more frequently and kick her out whenever I catch her in the act.

 

[Ridgerunner]

In the run people use dirt, sand, wood chips, wood shavings, straw, hay, grass clippings, and dried leaves to mention a few.

In the coop people use wood chips, wood shavings, straw, hay, dried grass clippings, dried leaves, dirt, sand, and linoleum to mention a few.

In nests people use wood shavings, straw, hay, dried grass clippings, carpet, Spanish moss, plastic or cloth feed bags, and rags to mention a few.

Some people turn their run floor or coop floor into a compost pile. Those can get really wild.

Your climate, facilities, drainage, and management techniques play a part in these selections. I like them to be inexpensive and available.

My run is dirt. The coop floor is dirt topped with wood shavings. For my nests I cut long grass from areas I don't weed eat or mow and dry it.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

I use hemp in the next boxes, because I bought it when I was first scrambling to get everything I thought I needed, so I figured might as well, and I use fine pine flakes on the tiny floor of the kinda-tiny Nestera coop because I like the smell and it makes it easy to clean the poop trays. The run floor is deep litter.

My one layer so far (7 eggs in 8 days !!) is happy with the hemp, tucking it around herself while purring, and everyone else is happy with everything else.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I use shredded paper both in the nests and on the coop floor. DH works in a bank, there's an unlimited supply and it's free and easy to transport. The run is tough grasses that they have not been able to destroy in 15 years.

 

[texsuze]

Inside the coop (and on the poop boards) I use a deep bed of large flake shavings, since I had horses for several years and always had it in the barn.

Nest boxes are all rubbermaid totes, no lids, "U"-shaped opening on narrow ends, approx. 21"L x 12 1/2" tall x 15" W. I use coastal hay in the next boxes, again, because I had horses and have just continued with those materials.